I’m a little surprised at her boldness. She takes a sharp angle on one turn and starts gliding up my right flank. I can hear the eagerness in my horse’s answering growl. It’s been hungry for contact. That’s the nature of a Ravenous rebirth. I keep a tight hold of the reins, trying to check its hunger, until Etzli is almost neck and neck with me.

A quick flick from me gives permission.

My phoenix’s head snaps up immediately. Sun glints off the wild fangs. It lunges over, but Etzli’s pretty damn fast, too. There’s a strange flicker of blue light as she instinctually tugs the reins. My horse’s teeth scrape across the protective scales on her horse’s neck. It takes us both a few seconds to regain control, but she doesn’t test my lead again, falling back to a safer distance instead.

The course starts the first of many descents. I remember that this gentle slope leads to a straightaway, and that straightaway pours out onto the plain we’re all supposed to reach tonight. I’m thinking through strategies when my horse’s eyes snap up, suddenly alert.

I was distracted for a second.

That’s all it takes for Revel to make his move. He’s leaned over his horse like a dancer and the two of them come storming up the right side of the valley. I fire off a command and my phoenix answers. Revel can burn faster than the rest of the field, though, and I know if he clears us, he’ll take a big lead into the first night.

My switch flicks into the shape of a whip. The world shrinks to numbers and distances. I use my free hand to drag my phoenix in their direction. It obeys—liking the possibility of spilled blood—but the angle of our approach gives Revel the lead. I have just one shot at it.

Luckily, I am a true son of the Reach.

We are rangers and herders. The whip is an extension of my arm. It snakes through the air and snaps along the back of Revel’s neck. He pulls out of his determined stance—a cry of agony on his lips—and the movement is enough to pull his horse out of stride, too. It lifts its head and my horse pounces, teeth bared.

We collide—our legs smashing between flanks—as my horse rips into the neck of Revel’s phoenix. The impact shoves us back apart, but not without blood. It sprays through the air and my horse trembles with excitement. Revel spits a curse, but a few more strides and I’m back in the lead again. My eyes dart back to the east. I thought Etzli might take advantage of our slowed pace, but she doesn’t test my lead. Instead, she slows her own horse and wisely trails me.